Book Review: The Thorn by Beverly Lewis

Excerpt: It had been Hen who'd urged Rose to attend Sunday Singings again. Love can't find you if you're hiding at home, her sister had said last week. Yet Rose had been almost reluctant to go again - until Silas's letter had come today.

Starlight slanted in the sky as Rose sat there listening to the last of the stories. Looking at the top of Nick's head as he leaned in toward one of the children, she wondered how it might be if Silas asked to court her. How would it change her life?

A dream come true, she decided, cherishing the delicious warmth brought by this new excitement as she said her good-byes to the little ones and to Nick, then headed toward home.

But as Rose walked through the white moonlit pasture, the vision of Nick attentively sitting with the children lingered. The Thorn, pg. 40

Back Cover: Two Amish sisters divided by one sister's impulsive marriage to an outsider.

Hen longs for the Old Ways she left behind...

Rose is unsure of her own heart - devoted to the bishop's rebellious foster son, yet courted by another.

My Review: Up front, I'm not a huge fan of Amish fiction. However, I did enjoy Beverly's newest release. The thorn is full of real struggles by real people. I appreciated the way that Beverly handled the ever day life of the Amish. She's not afraid to give her characters faults, however, I do feel that like most Amish fiction, there is a bit of romanticizing the Amish lifestyle - not a lot, but some.

I find it interesting the way that Beverly ties in a mystery in the middle of this story. It adds an interesting dimension to an already good storyline. All the characters have struggles and desires that drive them to action. The writing was easy, and enjoyable to read - showing how well Beverly crafted this novel.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to lovers of Amish fiction. Beverly Lewis is a master at this genre, and this book is no exception.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.